1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to connectors and specifically connectors that provide a printed circuit board connection that with higher retention forces.
2. Background and Description of the Prior Art
Printed circuit boards are used in many electrical components in an automobile. Multiple circuit boards are used on components for varying reasons. Sometimes the vehicle packaging restricts the length of the component, so two circuit boards almost on top of each other will be used. Some types of circuits (such as digital and analog) can interfere with each other and will need to be on separate circuit boards with shielding in between. There are many other reasons for multiple circuit boards within a component, but they all face the same challenge: reliably connecting the boards to each other without adding too much cost. This connecting is done with pin and terminal interconnects.
Interconnects between circuit boards tend to be a weak point in an electronic module system. The vehicle environment can be very harsh, including vibration and shock exposure. Repeated vibration and shock can to loosen the interconnects over time. If an interconnect comes loose, the electronic module will likely have reduced or no function, potentially causing the vehicle to break down.
To prevent circuit board interconnects from loosening over time, plastic locks are often added to the housing of the interconnect. These locks are generally a plastic piece added to the housing of the male portion of the interconnect that locks over the top of the female portion of the interconnect. While this added lock normally prevents the interconnect from coming loose in the module, it is an added piece and adds cost to the interconnect system and module.
Interconnect manufacturers currently produce several different designs of interconnects pins, such as zigzagged pins, in an attempt to increase the retention of the female terminal without using the expensive plastic lock. While these different contact designs increase the retention force over straight pins, they are complicated and expensive to manufacture and still achieve less than sufficient retention forces to eliminate the plastic lock in the automotive environment.
From the above, it can be seen that there still is the need exists for a low cost, reliable and simple interconnect system that will not loosen under normal vehicle operating conditions.